1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium.
In the present invention, the term "image recording apparatus" embraces a facsimile device, a word processor device, a printer device, an electronic typewriter, a copying device and so forth.
The term "recording medium" embraces ordinary paper, processed paper, plastic sheets, and so forth.
2. Related Background Art
It has been proposed to provide a serial printer of the type in which a carriage which carries a recording head is moved along the length of a platen to effect recording. It has also been proposed to provide a line printer of the type in which a line head is located approximately perpendicularly to the scanning direction of recording paper so as to effect recording in units of lines.
Each of these printers has its own merits and demerits. For example, line printers generally have higher print speeds than serial printers. However, when line printers of the thermal transfer type are composed with serial printers of the same type, the amount of ink ribbon consumed by the former is larger than that of ink ribbon consumed by the latter. Accordingly, the line printers have the problem that running cost tends to increase. When image information or the like is to be recorded on thermal sensitive paper by means of a thermal head or the like, line printers are advantageous over serial printers since the line printers have higher recording speeds.
As is evident from the foregoing, it is desirable that recording be done by a recording method which is appropriate for the recording method being used, for example, the thermal transfer method or the thermal sensitive method, or the kind of data to be recorded, for example, whether image data or print data is to be recorded. However, no recording apparatus has been found of the type having a single-unit arrangement which enables appropriate selection between a plurality of recording methods.
For example, if a facsimile device or the like is utilized, image information can be read and recorded on thermal sensitive paper in units of lines, thereby effecting formation of an image. However, when a document output from a word processor is to be printed on ordinary paper, another recording apparatus must be prepared. Accordingly, no recording apparatus has been found of the type having a single-unit arrangement which can satisfy both of the functions.